Just graduated! Now what?

Welcome new doula!

Having just completed your training or getting back into doula work after a break there are a few things you can do to really help your doula practice thrive!

Join a local supportive network of doulas. We Birth host live events every other month where we discuss a ‘hot topic’ facilitated in a safe, supportive and confidential way. At the moment these are based in Sydney, Australia however, doulas wanting to join our vibrant worldwide community can find us on Facebook.

Keep a Journal. Keeping a journal of your experiences, thoughts and notes from discussions and births (that are de-identified) is a great tool for new (and experienced) doulas to use to identify learning needs and plan for ways to improve. It is said ‘the learning is in the reflection’ so having an organised way to make sense of your experiences is very helpful. We have put together a foundational and comprehensive guide here

Get marketing savvy. Women are having babies every day, in every country and spending money on a lot of products and services that are nowhere near as helpful or relevant than those of a well educated and experienced doula. Learning how to identify and connect with your ideal client, present yourself in the best way for them to understand the massive impact you can have on their family for years to come is essential to growing and sustaining your business. There are a variety of doula specific business coaches and mentors that can help you 1 to 1, and doulas in the We Birth community are a great resource for navigating your needs and brainstorming ways to reach your ideal clients.

Plan your learning needs. Following on from your reflection you should recognise where you should focus your next learning. Education provided by We Birth is based on the questions and feedback from working doulas. Our current courses can be found here.

Get a mentor! We Birth are in the final stages of a pilot program connecting seasoned doulas with new and fledgeling doulas. We are pretty